


The Big Reunion

by Joey_Westwife



Category: Westlife
Genre: Confessions, F/M, Forgiveness, Marriage Proposal, Regrets, Secrets, The big reunion, nicky leaves westlife, westlife reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-04-04 15:38:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14023386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joey_Westwife/pseuds/Joey_Westwife
Summary: When TV show The Big Reunion invite Westlife to reform it takes Nicky's new girlfriend to give him the push he needs to face his regrets.





	The Big Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> originally posted to WestWords interactive site.

When Nicky Byrne walked away from the biggest boyband in the world to become a solo star it shattered his friend's hearts. With the absence of Brian already, the other lads felt they had no choice but to end Westlife completely and years went by before the devastated 3 remaining band mates could face talking to him. Much like when Brian had left the band over a decade ago now, Shane, Kian and Mark were bitter for quite some time that their livelihoods and dreams had been whipped from under their feet. Nicky had never given a valid reason for leaving the band but they suspected it had something to do with the relationship he was chained to with his later made ex wife.   
5 years after his departure, the band were approaching what would be their 20th birthday and tweets had been exchanged between all members including Brian to arrange a get together. Whether in the public eye or just at a house party to reminisce, they hoped to recall the good times and celebrate their successes but Nicky hadn't once been invited. Fans had got wind of the plans and were encouraging the boys to reform for a one off charity gig but the idea of performing without the beauty of Nicky made the dream seem out of reach. Every member had their role in the band and it just wouldn't work as a 4 without Nicky in tow. Of course they'd adapted without Brian but this time it was different.   
After several private discussions, the band came to the agreement they'd only spend time together in Ireland under the roof of Shane’s luxury mansion. The lads posted drunken photos online for their fans to enjoy but when they noticed that Nicky was no where to be seen, sadness and heart break spread. Scrolling down his twitter feed, Nicky sat in his lounge and read the comments people had made, negative and otherwise. He huffed and sighed as he regretted how his life had turned out. Following his departure from his best friends and life as he knew it, Nicky had hoped to become a TV actor to try and avoid the other lads on any music circuit any of them might continue on as solo singers themselves but his aspirations had been crushed by the sudden break down of his marriage.   
When it had been made public that Nicky and his wife had split under confidential circumstances, Shane had tried to contact Nicky to offer his condolences, reminding his former friend that he was still willing to open his arms to him with forgiveness for ruining his life and provide a shoulder to cry on; but Nicky had failed to accept the hand of friendship and refused to reply with any gratitude which lead Shane to believe the depressed star genuinely wasn't interested for whatever reason in having anything to do with Westlife ever again. 

Opening the front door with bags of shopping in her hand, Hayley struggled into the house, calling for her man. The model stunner had treated herself to some serious retail therapy following an argument the night before with her boyfriend over her first love – Westlife. She'd been a huge fan since day one with Ronan Keating announced he was supporting the career of a new Irish boyband called Westside. Hayley used to be a dancer and had worked hard to get the physique and talents she had. Eventually when she was qualified enough, the lucky lady had impressed everyone enough to bag herself a place as a dancer on Westlife's Dreams Come True tour. The fans were never all that keen on the sexy, pretty girls on stage with their idols and her job with the band had lasted no longer than a year. During that time though she'd spent after parties with the boys, getting drunk and flirting. She'd been lucky enough to share a snog with Shane one drunken night but she'd always had the biggest crush on the only member of the band with a girlfriend – Nicky.   
Hayley respected Nicky’s relationship status for as long as she could but when Nicky declared his undying love for his girlfriend by proposing, she forgot any chance of ever getting close to the cutie. When her job with the tour was terminated, she moved on and forgot about the dreamy man and his gorgeous friends, never to cross paths again for some time; until she discovered the married man propping himself up against a local bar one night not many years into his so called happy marriage. At that time the band were still going strong so Hayley looked around the room for any sign of his band mates but he appeared to be alone. She assumed he'd got a night off so she reluctantly approached him to see if he remembered her which surprisingly he did. Nicky greeted her and invited her to sit with him for a drink at which point he spilled his guts out to her about how unhappy he was with his wife and was considering leaving her. Hayley felt a little awkward offering advice to him as her old crush was re-lighted instantly by Nicky’s grown up, sexy image but she did her best in advising him not to let his personal life effect his job. That night he was so intoxicated that he'd crawled back to Hayley's house with her to calm himself before facing his wife back home but his decision hadn't been wise as he lost all inhibitions and ended up sleeping with her in a hot, drunken romp. That had been the straw that broke the camel's back in Nicky’s head and everything he knew was more complicated than before. It wrecked with his head for some time and resulted in him walking out on the band and after being unable to carry the guilt any longer it began the break up of his marriage.   
When Hayley had heard the news about Nicky’s life, she felt terrible and hoped she'd not been an accessory in making his mind up about his motives. Just months after Nicky’s break down, Hayley once again found him in the same pub, on the same stool that the bar had printed his name on as a joke, drinking himself into an oblivious state of mind. She was more worried to speak to him this time though but plucked up the courage to risk being struck down with blame. Nicky had been more than happy to see her face and threw his arms around her neck, holding onto a prolonged hug, providing him some comfort. He poured his heart out to her and exposed his reasons for wrecking so many lives. He'd not put any blame on her for his infidelity though and welcomed her friendship with an almost desperate plea. Over a number of months, the pair spent more time together and became close friends. Hayley never had any intention of trying it on with him again but when Nicky confessed he had a growing attraction to the beautiful girl, she returned his affections and they embarked on a new relationship where Hayley spent much longer helping Nicky grow his confidence back and be happy with his career and home life. 

Plonking her bags down on the sofa, Hayley again called Nicky down from his room where she imagined he was cracking one out after her refusal to pleasure him that morning. Her bargain purchases had cheered her up no end though and she was happy with her finds. Nicky bounced down the stairs and managed to crack a smile as he joined her in the sitting room. 

Hayley turned to face her gorgeous man and put her arms around his neck. “Hey you. Look Nico, I’m really sorry about last night... and this morning. Do you forgive me?” she pulled her best puppy dog eyed face. 

Nicky could never resist her pretty eyes and frown, “Oh I suppose so. I’m sorry too, I was being an ass hole. Did you buy anything nice amongst all these buys?”

“Give me a kiss and I’ll show you.” Nicky smiled at her and planted a big smooch on her lips. “... Mmm that was good but not good enough. Try again.”

Nicky rolled his eyes and chuckled before giving Hayley a bigger tongue tied snog. “How about that?”

“It's a start. Close your eyes...” Once his eyes were firmly closed she pulled out a sexy basque she'd bought from Ann Summers and held it up against her body. “Now you can open them.”

Nicky’s eyes lit up as he saw the purple, lace and satin lingerie in front of him, imagining it on her body. “Wow. It's sexy but I’m not sure it'll suit me.” he joked. 

“Well how about I try it on for you?”

“Do you know where it'd look best? On the bedroom floor after I’ve ripped it off your body.” he winked.

“Sounds good to me. How about you go back up and warm the bed?”

“How about you just take everything off right here and skip the hard work?”

Hayley smirked at Nicky and threw the undies down on top of the bags. She flung her arms back around Nicky’s neck and kissed him, pushing him towards the door. She dragged him into the bedroom and stripped him down to nothing before performing her own strip tease. She knew he'd not want to wait for her to squeeze into any sexy underwear so she was prepared already wearing another purchase which she'd slipped into in a public toilet. The virgin white lacy corset she wore boosted her cleavage and the tiny, matching thong under it covered very little. Her toned, slim body and sizeable chest turned Nicky on instantly every time he saw her in next to nothing so his growing erection was bursting to be played with. 

After their heated make up sex the happy couple got dressed into their PJ's early and planned a night of snuggling on the sofa. Nicky ordered in some pizza and they cracked open a beer or two to chill out. Whilst flicking through the channels to find something worth watching on TV, Hayley caught an advert for The Big Reunion; the program that got chart topping pop bands back together. It had previously seen the likes of 5ive, 911, Atomic Kitten and fellow Irish group B*Witched reform for a one off gig that had turned into a tour and they noticed that in the line up for the new series such bands as Busted, Another Level, A1 and S Club 7 were getting together to slog out their differences for entertainment purposes. But at the end of the commercial it stated a surprise come back from a mystery band was on the cards. The silhouette of the secret band wasn't in the shape of the actual members but they could see it featured only 4 members. Hayley thought for a second about who the 4 piece group could be and when she suspected Westlife it angered her to think the line up could include Brian but not Nicky. 

Nicky shook his head at the TV and looked sad which Hayley picked up on. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” 

Nicky nodded but shrugged off any care. “Fuck 'em. If it is then good luck to them.”

Hayley didn't want to crack old wounds again but having seen the advert she wanted to find out the truth. “It could be anyone babe. They're nothing without you.”

Nicky’s mood dropped again so he snatched the remote from her hand to change the channel and cuddled her tight as a tear fell from his cheek. Out of sight, Hayley played on her mobile, scanning her timeline to see if anyone had mentioned the secret band. Speculation soon spread over the internet over who it could be and with no hints from the lads, she sent Shane a private message. Shane was perfectly aware that Nicky was dating their former dancer now so he'd followed her on Twitter to be polite and keep up to date on how Nicky was. Shane desperately missed his friend and wanted nothing more than for him to reply to his messages but he was still waiting.   
When Nicky had fallen asleep in Hayley's arms on the sofa, she snook her phone into her hand again to see Shane had already replied. He'd posted her his personal email address so they could talk without a limit on character usage and thanked her for getting in touch. Immediately she copy and pasted the addy into her email app and thought of the questions she wanted answers to. Nicky often refused to talk about the band anymore and their argument the previous night had been over the birthday party photos he wasn't a part of. He hadn't been invited because he wouldn't reply to Shane’s pleas for communication but she knew deep down he was just too scared to go back to a place in his mind where he was unhappy just to clear up old queries.   
Once he was snoring, Hayley gently shuffled off the sofa away from him to sit at her laptop to email Shane easier. Although it had been some time since she last spoke to the handsome hotty she'd snogged all those years ago, she still smiled at the memory as he was still as ever the gorgeous, spunky pop star everyone had a crush on.   
All she'd written in her initial message was, 'Hi Filan, been a long time, can we have a chat darling? It's important.' and his reply had been, 'Hey huni, sure thing, how're ye? Email me: EireBoy5@Gmail.com x'.   
Unsure how to begin she tapped her finger tips on the edge of the keyboard and bit her lip. After some careful thinking she started by saying hello and congratulated him on his brilliant solo career and told him she was great too. The one thing she wanted to know was of course whether Westlife were the mystery band to join the new series but she didn't want to sound too forward about it so she threw in some random comments and small talk hoping it would break the ice a little for him to respond.   
While waiting for a reply in a hope he was online, she made herself a cuppa and sat anxiously clicking on social websites to read the rumours and discovered some nasty comments about Nicky that she wished she hadn't seen. She was used to being able to ignore the negative views old fans had because she knew the truth and desperately wanted to keep the peace and put things right. Thanks to his quick digits, Shane indeed replied mighty fast, intrigued to know what Hayley's real motive was for contacting him. As his solo career had taken a stand still for a while, he was able to enjoy some down time at home with his dog and keep up to date on socialising with friends. His nights were always quiet and he welcomed the chat knowing he didn't need to go to bed by a certain time.   
Taking a deep breath as she opened her inbox message from the man himself she peered into the lounge to make sure Nicky was still asleep. Shane was really cool and laid back hoping Hayley was intending to enlighten him on subjects that Nicky wouldn't. He'd never received an explanation, excuse or apology for the pain he'd felt over the years. He'd been so close to Nicky he felt he'd been a failure of a friend but not being able to help before things got so bad. His message expressed his concerns for his former buddy and he jumped straight in in asking how Nicky was. She told him she was unsure how her man felt right now because of the uploaded evidence of their recent celebration. Shane expressed his deepest regrets for Nicky not being a part of it but stressed how much he'd tried over the years to get some reaction out of him. Hayley didn't feel it was her place to confess Nicky’s reasons behind it all so she changed the subject and asked the question she wanted answering most.   
When Shane replied again she felt a cold rush of blood gush down her chest and into her stomach. She was excited but at the same time worried it would cause an outburst into Nicky’s head. Trying not to laugh and cry at the same time she took a deep breath and considered what to put next. She found the communication media tedious and wanted to speak to him over the phone but felt it was a little cheeky to ask for his number under the circumstances. When he then forwarded it without needing to ask she couldn't wait a second to call him. She closed the door on Nicky who laid dreaming on the sofa and she wandered outside into the garden for extra privacy.

Shane picked up after only a couple of rings, “Hello Hayley?”

“Hey yeah it's me. Thanks for letting me call you.”

“No problem. So what's the craic?”

“Ah god Shane... you can't do this reunion without Nico. Please.” she begged, perching her bum on the garden bench.

“Why not? He's clearly not bothered with us and I don't even know why. I’ve given up Hayley, he won't speak to me, we're so angry with him. What are we suppose to do? Brian is up for it, we've forgiven him for leaving us years ago.”

“So work it out with Nicky.”

“I've told you, I’ve tried. He won't talk to me. I haven’t heard a peep out of him since the day he left. I don't know why his marriage broke down or how you got with him, I know nothing. I’m so confused. I want nothing more than to do this with him involved but he's having none of it. What are we suppose to do? We're all at a loose end, we need this TV deal to boost our profiles again and earn some money.”

“I know. You just can't do what Five and Take That did and slag him off because he's not there. I want this more than anything just like you guys. I want to help. Westlife can't go back on the road without him. I swear Shane, if you do this without him then he'll never forgive you.”

“What are you talking about? Are you not listening to me? We want him, we need him, we miss him. He's the one with the problem not us. Just tell me what to do and I’ll do it.”

Hayley took a chance on pulling off the risky stunt and made Shane an offer he couldn't refuse. “Come to the house. Just you, no one else. I’ll be here and we can talk. I know he won't push you away if you show your face on our door step. He's just scared Shane that's all. Are you free in the morning?”

“That soon? Do you still live in his place?”

“Yeah he's still where he was. I’ll make sure he's home. Bite the bullet and just turn up. He might not like it much but you know he wouldn't dismiss you.”

“Wow, erm, sure OK I guess I can do that. Are you sure this is wise? I know he isn't rude enough to tell me to fuck off but I don't want to upset him.”

“Shane seriously this is your only option. I don't want you to talk to a crew of strangers until he's explained. He might want to say his bit too.”

“Babe, we've already started the interviews for the show. Brian has done his already and Mark goes in tomorrow. If this is going to happen then it has to work tomorrow.”

“Right well that settles it then. Thank you for agreeing to this. I know it's the right thing to do. 10:30 OK?”

“Grand, see you in the morning.”

As soon as she'd put the phone down Hayley felt a whole lot of varied emotions. She was excited, relieved, nervous and happy all at the same time knowing she was to come face to face with the handsome pop legend again but her fear of the aftermath following his surprise confrontation with Nicky crippled her. She gently woke Nicky from his sleep and suggested they climbed into bed for some shut eye to calm her anticipation. 

The bright summer sun seeped through the gap in the curtains onto Nicky’s flawless skin as he laid in bed slowly waking from his dream about the band. Hayley rolled over to stare at her beautiful man in the morning light and struggled to stop her smile from breaking her cheeks. 

“What are you smiling at?” Nicky wondered as he stretched his body to kick his muscles into action. 

“Good sleep baby?”

“Yeah. I had a dream about Westlife. I think that advert last night was playing on my mind.”

“What was the dream about? What happened?” intrigued and hopeful it was good and would inspire him she gave him her full attention.

“Why does it matter, it'll never happen, especially now it looks like they're reforming without me.”

“Tell me, I wanna know.” she pushed his arm for him to be honest.

“We were all on stage, all 5 of us and we'd won the best band reunion award at some music event. We all looked about 21 again though.”

“That sounds great.”

“It was... until I looked down to see I was totally stark bollock naked.”

Hayley burst into laughter at him. “Oh my god really? How embarrassing.”

“I know so I’m interpreting it as a foolish idea to ever consider being a part of it again.”

Hayley's smile turned into a frown for a minute but when she saw it was already 9am she encouraged Nicky to get dressed so they could have some breakfast but he had better ideas. Nicky grabbed her waist and pinned her down on the bed, kissing her neck and rubbing his hands down her sides to her groin. 

“I want to eat you for breakfast.” Nicky nibbled on her ear.

“That tickles. How about we wait until later and I’ll wear that sexy purple ensemble for you and I’ll even let you do that thing that we almost never do.” she teased him raising her eyebrow at him.

“It's not my birthday is it? Give me a taster to keep me going then I’ll cook us something.”

Hayley slithered down under the bed sheets and gave Nicky a mind blowing blow job to keep him satisfied until later, then she jumped out of bed to freshen up. She wanted to make a bit of an effort for Shane but didn't want to make Nicky wonder why she was so dolled up just to scruff around the house all day so she picked up her skater dress and wrapped her hair up in a loose bun, applying some slap on her face to brighten her skin.   
Nicky was none the wiser regarding his scheduled guest so when the door bell rang, Hayley's heart began pounding. She wanted to answer it to welcome Shane in but Nicky got up first so she followed behind him to hear his genuine reaction to the man waiting on the other side of the door. Shane stood with his head held high. He wore his dark jeans and a checked shirt and had styled his hair to look smart where as Nicky was sporting tracksuit bottoms, stubble and a Celtic top. Thinking he could be the post man Nicky opened the door with a smile but his face melted as his eye contact met Shane’s. 

“Alright Nico?” Shane nodded at him as he stood gob smacked and speechless. 

“What the actual fuck man?” Nicky looked over his shoulder to see Hayley by his side. She gave him a silent wave and smiled at Shane. 

“Hiyah. Nicky it's time to talk and I’m not going anywhere until you speak to me.”

Hayley held her hands around Nicky’s waist to remind him she was there for him and there was no need to freak out. “Nico are you OK?”

“What makes you think I want to see you? Hasn't my ignorance amounted to anything?”

Shane shook his head and smirked at him. “I deserve answers. I’ve waited so long for you to pull your head out of your ass and now this was my last option. Please Nico, we need to talk. I’m begging ye.”

Hayley squeezed Nicky’s biceps and kissed his shoulder. “Come on babe, let him in. It's time.”

In total shock and feeling really uncomfortable Nicky reluctantly accepted Shane’s request and let him into the house. Shane didn't put any blame on Hayley for suggesting he knocked on their door and insisted it was all his idea on the back of the reunion pushing for a big story. After his dream Nicky knew that somewhere deep inside him he wanted to rejoin the lads on stage but he was petrified of coming to terms with his mistakes, having to explain himself and say sorry to his friends scared the crap out of him. Shane assured him that no one knew he was there and he could be trusted to be discrete about their encounter when he left if Nicky felt he didn't want it mentioning. Hayley poured them both a coffee and as requested sat out of the way in the kitchen for the boys to talk.   
Shane was so pleased to see Nicky again after years of silence. It broke his heart that their friendship had died on it's arse over night and Shane felt it was all just a dream to be sat next to his best friend again. The atmosphere was frosty and neither of them knew how to start the conversation so Nicky broke his silence.

“Shane I can't believe you've just rocked up on my door step. You've really put me on the spot here. I’m so sorry for what I did. I’ve missed you so much.” Nicky hung his head in shame getting emotional.

“I just don't understand mate. We're all so confused still and my god it broke each and every one of us. I’d finally come to terms with losing you for good until the reunion contacted us...”

“So you are the secret band then? Great.”

“Mate, I tried to talk to you, we wanted you at the birthday party more than anything but you wouldn't answer me. It's strange having Brian back and not you. We've missed you too.”

“I'm so ashamed of myself Shane, I know you've wanted answers but I was too scared to admit to myself what I’d done and it made me feel sick to even contemplate having to face you guys. It's just been completely blown out of all proportion and there has been no need for it, I’m so sorry.”

Shane mellowed to Nicky’s mood and felt sorry for him as he could see the regret and pain in his eyes as he finally opened up about breaking up the band. It took them an emotional couple of hours to confess their feelings and clear up the mess Nicky had made but once the demons had been battled, the weight lifted off their shoulders made them feel lighter than air. Shane’s sleeve cuff was drenched in the tears he'd wiped from his cheeks and the snot that had dripped from Nicky’s nose during his uncontrollable crying was smeared over a kleenex. 

Shane looked Nicky in the eye and promised him that everything was going to be OK. He took hold of his hand and swallowed the lump in his throat. “I forgive you Nicky. All I ever wanted was to understand and now I do there is nothing to worry about I promise.”

“You're not mad with me?”

“Huh not anymore mate. I am so sorry for everything you've been through. It sounds like Hayley has been a great influence on you.”

“She's amazing. I love her so much, she's kept me sane. Just tell me... did she have anything to do with you coming here today?”

Shane thought about whether to be honest but felt he deserved that respect in return. “Yeah she did. We spoke last night and she told me to come.”

“OK that's fine. I know she desperately wanted me to speak up so I guess she's done me a favour.”

“She contacted me first. I was so happy to hear from her you have no idea. I was scared about invading your home but it was my last option.”

“She did right. You did right. I feel so much better already. So what happens next?”

“How about you give me a hug?” Shane held his arms open in hope that Nicky would fall into them and without any hesitation he did. “Good lad.” he said, patting Nicky on the back. “Mark is with the reunion crew today. My interview is tomorrow... I don't know what I’m going to say now.”

“Tell them the truth. Tell them that we haven't spoken until today and be honest about what I’ve said. People deserve to know.”

“That's great. What about the lads? When can I tell them I’ve seen you?”

“Ah you know me, wait until Kian's done his bit too. Keep the suspense, I want to see what they really have to say first.”

“I know they'll be overjoyed with the news. I can't wait to tell them everything. I know they have their own questions but if you don't feel up to facing them yet then we can do this at your pace.”

“And what if I can't do it? What if I don't want to face them?”

Shane’s euphoric feeling started to fizzle down as he feared Nicky still wanted nothing to come of their meeting. “What do you mean? You can't leave this all for me to explain, that's not fair Nicky.”

“I never said I wanted anything from this...”

“But you've taken the first step, it'll be easier now. Kian and Mark deserve to hear it from you. You don't have to do this for the show man, do it for us.”

“How much are you getting paid to expose your emotions on national TV?”

“Plenty! The first series had the best bands on it, they need to pull a cracker for this series to be as successful and we're that bang that's going to explode the ratings. Like I said, this doesn't have to be public and there is no rush but please think about this. Westlife won't be the same without you. We could have done it as a 4 without Brian but not this way. We haven't even agreed to performing the gig yet, we're just taking it one step at a time and talking to them about our ups and downs first... if there is even a tiny part of you that wants a piece of this Nicky then please come forward and say so.”

“Just give me time to think OK. My head is all over the place right now, I don't know what I want.”

“OK, OK I’ll give you some space.” Shane got up from his comfy spot and took a deep breath. “... Thanks for being so honest finally. It truly means the world to me you know? I’ve changed my number so if you haven't ever saved my details then you can get it from Hayley. Do you mind if I say goodbye to her before I leave?”

“Sure, go for it.” Nicky stayed sat on the sofa and stared into space while Shane opened the kitchen door to see Hayley playing on her lap top. 

“Hey how did it go?” she asked assuming it was good considering she'd heard no fighting or raised voices.

“I can't thank you enough for inviting me here today. I feel so... I dunno, I can't even explain how it feels to finally know what's going on. I’m so sorry he felt he couldn't speak up sooner. I just hope now we can move forward.”

“You're welcome. It's great to see you again Shane. All I want is to see you guys back on that stage... hopefully with Nicky in tow.” she flashed her sexy grin at him as she remember kissing his perfect lips so many years ago. “I'm really happy for you.”

“He told me everything. I do feel terrible for his ex Mrs like but I can see how much he loves you and if it wasn't for you then I strongly believe today would never have happened. I know it's not your fault it broke the band, just to clear that bit up. You're his rock. He's really lucky to have you.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that. Well I hope to see you again soon. Good luck with the band.”

“Yeah... thanks.” Shane stared at the gorgeous woman in front of him and felt slightly jealous of Nicky for snapping her up making him regret not trying harder himself. “I should, erm, I should go anyway. Take care.”

“You too.” Hayley watched the hunk walk away and she felt a little crush forming. 

Nicky saw Shane out of the door and gave him another hug to confirm their friendship was a slow but steady ride to recovery. Instead of kicking up a fuss and lecturing Hayley about going behind his back, Nicky accepted she'd done the right thing and saw it as a blessing in disguise. She stood in the lounge expecting to receive a shower of abuse and frustration from her man but much to her surprise he walked up to her and put his hands on her neck and cheek. 

“You're one crafty little mare do you now that?”

“Nico I’m so sorry...” she began to apologise but he stopped her by putting his finger on her lips.

“Don't be sorry. It's me that should be sorry. I made the biggest mistake of my life choosing my wife over the band and then hiding from them ever since. But you... I’d be nothing without you. Seeing Shane again, it was hard but it's made me realise that he's just as important to me and so are the other lads. I’m not saying I know what happens next but the hardest part is over now and I have you to thank.”

Hayley felt her eyes well up and her nose flared, “I told you it wouldn't be so bad.”

“Ha-ha well maybe next time I should listen to you. I love you so much.”

She stroked her fingers through his soft blonde hair and ran them down his jaw. “You're so beautiful. I am so proud of you. I’ll always be here, no matter what. I love you too Mr Byrne.” She closed her eyes and delicately kissed Nicky’s lips. 

“Do I deserve that fancy fuck now then?” he giggled. 

“I'd say so. Give me 5 minutes to slip into my lingerie and then I want you to join me wearing nothing but a smile.” she pecked a kiss on his button nose and strutted her way up the stairs to prepare to make the earth move.

Whilst Shane sat in front of the camera down at the studio waiting to be grilled by the producer, he couldn't wipe the smile from his face. The camera man commented on his happy mood and compared it to the nervous and depressing moods of the previous 2 lads. Because of a change in the schedule for another band, Kian's interview was rearranged to be after Shane’s and upon learning the news he asked if he could swap and talk after him as he had something mega to announce and wanted them to wait to find out so it didn't effect their questions to Kian. Luckily for him his band mate had arrived at the same time as him so Kian agreed to do his bit first and Shane wasted his time in the canteen on his mobile.   
Once Kian's part was done a couple of hours later, he high fived Shane and gave him a man hug wishing him luck. Shane hadn't elaborated to him why he'd wanted to go last and granted Nicky the favour of not discussing their social affair the day before. The interviewer did his bit and made Shane cry as they had done the other boys but he knew he could give them a boost right at the end for them to strategically edit into the series. As he admitted he'd seen Nicky and heard his reasons behind the split, he chose his words carefully not to make him sound like a head case. The crew were ecstatic with the news Nicky had spoken out at the last minute and when they wrapped up the filming they pressured Shane into getting Nicky to talk on camera and provide his own story which they could slowly tease into the series to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.   
The more Nicky saw the advert on the TV the more he thought about the band. He wasn't sure who to talk to next, the boys themselves or the show. He was still tussling with the idea of going public with his justification and wondered if he surprised the lads by doing it through the show, would they be more forgiving. He knew having seen the first series that the others groups reunion was filmed so their genuine reactions to each other were documented so without letting Shane know, Nicky took one step closer and contacted the program to have his say. With his dreams undecided and his full intentions unknown he didn't want to commit to anything and explained he'd do his best but wouldn't sign any long term contract to be a part of the production. 

A few weeks later Hayley sat on the sofa suffering a cold. Snuggled under a blanket, clasping tight onto a hot cup of cocoa, she flicked the channels searching for something decent enough to watch when she came across yet another commercial for the show that had already gone to air and began documenting the other groups. She noticed straight away it was a new cut so she watched it and perked up as soon as they exclusively revealed the secret band was Westlife. The edit was dramatic and showed each member bar Nicky, silently hang their head in tears and the caption was related to his absence but at the end when they asked the question of whether Nicky would find his true calling, an old photo of him flashed on screen with a question mark over his face. It hadn't given much away other than revealing the band involved until right at the end they cut to each member saying one word each that completed the saying, 'Nicky - broke - my - heart.' It hadn't necessarily meant any of them had said those words in the same sentence but put together it added to the drama.   
Hayley was completely unaware Nicky had been in contact with the program and was in as much suspense as everyone else so when he got home from his football training for a local club he helped out at, she asked him if he'd secretly done his bit.

“Babe I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I just wanted to get my head straight and do it without anyone knowing. When I got home I thought it'd be a nice surprise for you. I know you want the band back together and I thought you'd like it to be a surprise that's all.”

“Nicky I’m so happy for you. You still should have told me. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't have considered it. I was shocked they insinuated you might have spoken to them. What happened?”

“I'm sorry I haven't exactly lied to you, I was just keeping it a secret. But you're right I should have let you in on it. It is thanks to you. I haven't made any commitments and Shane doesn't know I’ve done it. I don't know what I want to do next. I have until tomorrow to decide. They're filming the reunion of the band at Shane’s house. The crew have invited me to attend to surprise them all but I’m under no obligation to go.”

Hayley was speechless. Nicky’s leap to put things right had overwhelmed her. “Wow. That's amazing. Just the thought of your fans hearing the truth is enough to give yourself credit and stop people jumping to their own conclusions but... babe, the guys deserve to have their turn too. Look, I totally understand and support you if you choose not to go and I can even drive you there myself if you do but think about this. Remember it's just one step at a time.”

“The lad's interviews air this week. Mine will be shown next week and then if I go tomorrow then our reunion will be aired in about 3 weeks. I guess once everyone has seen the band cry over what I did, I’m going to get bombarded online with shitty mentions and I’ll have to suffer for a week until people hear my side of it.”

“You're strong enough to ignore them. You'll be the one laughing, you know what happens next.” Hayley took his hands into hers and looked him in the eye. “If you don't go tomorrow and they see you've been involved in this already they'll be so pissed off. I think you should go. I think you need to turn up looking drop dead gorgeous and talk to them. They don't need to see the interview first, they should be able to get through this from scratch. I know this is a huge deal but I know you can do this.”

Nicky held back tears as he nodded his head. “If you drive me there and wait for me so I know you're there then OK.”

“What? OK? You mean...”

“I'll take one more step. I’ll turn up at the house and tell them what they deserve to hear.”

“Oh my god Nicky!” Rapt by his decision, Hayley jumped on him and hugged him tight screeching with excitement. “Ah I love you, I love you, I love you! You are amazing. Thank you.”

“Ha-ha I never realised just how big of a fan you were. I’m doing this for you more than myself you know.”

“No, you're doing it for you and I promise when tomorrow is over, everything gets easier.”

“Don't get ahead of yourself. I just think I should talk to them in the security of a controlled environment. I need to call the producer now to let them know what time I’ll be there so they can have the camera in the right place at the right time.”

Hayley kissed Nicky’s face all over, unable to stop showing her exhilaration. “You have no idea how happy this is going to make so many people. I adore you so much, you've come so far to agree to this.”

“Yeah well, like I said, if it wasn't for you... I’m off for a shower. Fancy joining me?”

“Ooh, showering with the sexiest, bravest, fittest member of the hottest, most talented Irish boyband in the world? Ha-ha why not. After all I could be about to become the next object of jealousy in the Westlife fan camp.”

“Don't worry about that, the fans aren't like that. They'll love you for making me see sense... so before they fall in love with you can I enjoy you all to myself?”

“I suppose so.” she smiled and followed Nicky upstairs.

Nicky braced himself as he looked in the visor mirror to check his hair. Knowing he was to be on camera, he trimmed his stubble and gelled his hair as well as applying a little powder to his face. Hayley pulled up her car into Shane’s drive way and parked inbetween the crew vans. The other lads were already in the house filming as they had a catch up and discussed Nicky’s empty seat. The director had placed a stool in the kitchen for him although they had no inkling he'd actually turn up. None of them were aware he'd done his interview even though Nicky had spoken to Shane briefly the week before just to say hello. 

“I'm absolutely bricking myself.” Nicky stressed turning to his girlfriend. “You're going to wait here aren't you?”

“Yes of course, stay calm. I’ll be right here if it all gets too much.” She leaned over to give him a hug and wished him luck as he greeted the staff waiting for him to join them outside the house. 

Nicky’s nerves were visible to everyone so they tried to ensure him everything would be fine and asked him to stand by the front door next to the camera man ready to film Shane’s reaction to opening the door. He took a deep breath and when told to do so he rang the door bell. A camera man stood on each side of him, one to film his face and the other to film Shane so they had both angles to use. Inside the house Shane heard the bell and wondered who it was having told crew to walk in and out as they needed. He apologised for the disturbance and made his way to answer it. As he reached for the handle Nicky cleared his throat.

Shane’s face was a picture. “Nicky! Jesus mate what are you doing here?”

“I took your advice... so can I join you and do my bit?”

Shane flung his arms around Nicky and laughed. “Oh god, I can't believe this, you sly dog. Come in.” he rushed into the kitchen and announced the arrival of their lost member. “Lads you'll never guess what...”

Kian, Mark and Brian looked up to see what the fuss was about as the camera focused on their reactions. Nicky stepped into the room to a room full of crew and burst into tears as he saw all the boys for the first time in years. Brian's smile was beaming, Kian looked confused and Mark's jaw dropped to the floor. 

“Now then boys.” Nicky said saluting them all. 

Shane chuckled at their gob smacked faces and put his arm around Nicky. “Can you believe this?”

Mark stood up and held his hand out to shake Nicky’s. “I think you have some explaining to do sunshine.”

Once the hysteria of him showing his face had calmed down, he admitted he'd spoken to the show already and wanted to surprise them all for the benefit of the program. The meeting was full of highs and lows as they slogged their guts out and put all their cards on the table. The atmosphere was edgy but the mood drifted in and out of good and bad. It took some time for them all to come to terms with what was going on and seeing Nicky again wrecked with their heads. They called a breather on their session and let the lads have a cigarette and get some fresh air to get their heads around the drama so Nicky took the opportunity to let Hayley know things were going OK. 

Leaning up against the car, she saw him jog over to her in tears. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, worrying her.   
“Nico? Are you alright?”

“Yeah, sorry I’m just so overwhelmed. You can get off if you want. I think I’ll be OK here now. The worst part is over.”

“How did it go down?”

“Alright in the end. If it wasn't for the cameras I think there'd have been more cursing but they all seem happy in the end. They've had their explanation so they can move on.”

“That's so great. I'm so happy for you...” Hayley pulled him in for another hug and noticed Shane walking their way to say hi. “Hey.”

“Hiyah. Is this down to you by any chance?” Shane smiled at her.

“No... he did this all on his own.”

“I don't know about that.” Nicky denied. “If Hayley hadn't told you to come see me Shane then I wouldn't be here.”

“I'm so glad you decided to do this. It means so much to us. I know the other lads are still flabbergasted ha-ha. Are you coming back in for the second half?”

Nicky nodded and smiled. “Yeah I’d like that. If I leave now then it wouldn't be fair. We need to get passed this and try to build a friendship again.”

“You might be expecting a bit too much at once but you've still got me. Hayley, do you need to be anywhere or do you want to come in? I’m sure the guys would love to thank you for steering this git in the right direction.”

“OK sure. I’d love to see them again thanks.”

Shane winked at her and lead them both back into the house where the rest of the band greeted their former dancer with a hug each and then the director asked to talk to each of them in turn again but allowed Hayley to accompany Nicky in his interview to express her feelings and involvement in the scheme of things. Wrapping up the day, the production team set off on their travels and confirmed they'd be in touch about what was to happen next when the lads had decided what they wanted. Shane invited Hayley and the boys to stay for a take out and some beers so they could talk some more in private to get any last issues off their chest. Agreeing to fetch the food herself, Hayley left Nicky with his band mates to bond, giving them space. Nicky was dubious about being left alone as he was still scared and expecting to feel uncomfortable but Shane did everything he could to make him feel welcome. A few snide comments were made but he took them on the chin and after a stiff drink the air was cleared and the next, most important conversation started about where they were going from there. 

“Do we really need to do this concert?” Nicky asked.

Brian was gagging to perform with them all again. “I want nothing more mate. Come on, just the once? Not to sound big headed but we don't have to do the tour, we're better than the other bands.”

Shane agreed and begged Nicky to consider doing a one off gig at the Hammersmith Apollo where the programs bands would perform their first concert. “Aye, Nico, just for old times sake yeah? Just one gig that's all we're asking.”

Nicky shook his head, “One gig will turn into a tour of our own I know it will.”

“So what if it does? You've already said we haven't done anything wrong. Westlife needs this to regain our credibility. We can go out on a high if we just put ourselves out there for the fans and apologise for their heart break. You left us before we could say goodbye Nicky, we couldn't thank our fans for supporting us the way we should have but we can put that right now. The hardest part is over.”

“Little steps you said Shane. I’m scared of wrecking my head again...”

“There are no more little steps left Nicky. The next thing to do is decide if we're doing the gig so we can start rehearsals and meet the other groups. We can keep it confidential, the fans won't know. All the suspense will be on the show, they won't even know if you've been here today for a few weeks. You're not going to wake up tomorrow overwhelmed by fans messages. Hayley won't let you fall again mate and we're a team, we'll do everything we can to keep our heads straight and our feet on the ground. I’m not pressurising you into...”

“Yes you are! It's my fault the group split and now it's up to me to put it back together.”

“Look if you don't want to do this then we'll understand and just have to accept that we're done and it's over forever. We're not going any further without you, we'll just remain friends instead and hope fans can rest assured we're all at peace with it now.”

Nicky looked at Mark's eyes watering at the prospect of never being on stage with his best friends again and Kian covered his face in his hands. He knew how much they wanted to move forward and fulfil the contract and finish off the bitter end of their career on a high but without Hayley there to give him a push he hesitated to confirm what he wanted. While the other guys remained silent, Shane huffed and stamped his foot on the floor tiles throwing Nicky a look of desperation and hope. Walking into a room of deadly silence worried Hayley. She saw the boys looking emotionally shattered and on tender hooks. 

“Guys?” she noticed Shane’s eyes staring Nicky out waiting for an answer and was disturbed by the fear in his. “Nicky what's going on?”

Mark lost his rag and shouted to break the hush. “Tell him to pull his fucking head out his arse and do the decent thing of ending the job we've started.”

Kian put his hand on Mark's shoulder to calm him, “Mark, chill out.”

Nicky wiped his mouth and tilted his head towards Hayley for answers. “I don't think I can do this.”

Shane rolled his eyes and took the bags of Chinese food from her hands, preparing to dish it up. He was so annoyed waiting for an answer he necked the last mouthful of his beer and cracked open another. Hayley pulled Nicky’s arms and forced him to face her.

“I can't leave you for 5 minutes can I? What is the problem Nico?”

“I'm scared shitless you know I am. Don't make me do this.”

Kian spoke up to defend them all, “We're not making you do anything, we just want a straight answer for god sake.”

“Babe look at me... I’m right here. I’m not her, I’m here to support you not give you ultimatums. I’ve got you this far and damn it I won't let you break these guys again. You can do this, there is nothing to be afraid of. You have more to lose now than you did before.” she stroked his cheek and smiled at his cute, worried face. “I love you so much. I know this is what you want. I know you can do this. Just one show OK? Only you can change the ending and make things right.”

Nicky glanced over to all the boys again and sighed. “I don't know where I’d be without you. Argh, fine. Fine if you want to be the new Westlife wag with Vogue then I’ll do it.”

“What? Are you serious?” Hayley's eye lit up and the boy's heads turned to hear him officially confirm he'd do it. 

“Yeah, I’ll do it for you.”

“Oh my god.” Hayley burst into tears and hugged him tight. 

Shane stepped back over to Nicky and asked him to repeat himself. “So it's a yes then? We're really doing this?”

“Yeah, I’m in. Crack open the champagne lads. Westlife are back in action.”

The sigh of relief on Mark and Kian's faces brought colour back into their cheeks and Brian was so excited he wooped and punched the air with delight. Shane cheered and leaped on Nicky and Hayley for a group hug, bouncing on the spot to celebrate.

“Yes, we're back in business lads, get over here. Group hug.” 

Hayley wriggled out of the way and watched in total pleasure as the 5 boys were officially back together in one piece, jumping around and crying in blissful joy. She pulled her camera phone out immediately and filmed the lads in their state to show the world their special moment. The mood was electric and they all spent the rest of the day getting completely hammered. When Hayley suggested she left them to their party Shane insisted she stayed and joined in the fun as they all knew it wouldn't be happening without her help. Brian called his wife Vogue to meet Hayley for the first time and rest of the night paved a solid path to the stage. 

When ITV learned the amazing news they edited more adverts and teasers which sparked a nation wide uproar of excitement and speculation towards whether Westlife would play the Hammersmith gig or not. As soon as Nicky’s interview had been submitted he was drowned in fan mail and support from old friends, business folk and fans pouring their hearts to him and thanking him for finally opening his life up for everyone to understand. Offers of interviews from other TV shows and stations flooded their managements email but he refused to do anything else regarding the reunion until at least the gig had been filmed and performed.   
Under their terms Westlife refused to join the other pop groups during rehearsals and asked to be filmed less to insinuate they might not be doing the gig. The constant teasing of the public sent rumours into overdrive and no one knew what was going on. The other bands involved were aware Westlife were practising in a secret location to reduce the risk of the big secret coming out and it wasn't until the concert dress rehearsal in the venue that they met the other stars. Speculation continued and theories circulated as the series carried on being aired to bring them up to date. Differently to the previous year the concert had been commissioned to be streamed live branding it a show not to be missed. Fans sold out the venue in a hope of seeing the Irish boys walk on stage too but up until the week before the gig no more of their footage had been shown.   
The week before the concert was due to go live, Westlife's backstage moments were broadcast and again the media and social networks went do-lally as their involvement was finally exposed. Thousands of fans celebrated the fact their men were back as a 5 piece despite having no chance of getting tickets to the concert. All they had was hope it would develop and get to enjoy the concert on the TV. 

Hayley sat in the dressing room drinking wine with Vogue while the boys got dressed up in their traditional black suits and white shirts. More nervous than ever, the reunited friends held their hands in the centre of their circle and vowed to go out on stage and blow everyone away, reminding them what they did best. The girls were just as anxious about how it was going to go down but convinced their fellas they'd be the best thing ITV had ever created. The 5 other chart topping bands from a decade ago wowed the excited crowds having not been around for quite some time but chants for Westlife got louder and louder inbetween each act. Just before curtain call Hayley and Vogue were summoned to their seats and when fans sitting next to them realised who they were, they sparked an outrageous blast of piercing screams. The audience stamped their feet and squealed until their throats were dry while a montage of the band's interviews was shown on the back drop screen. The lads stood in position on rising platforms and when the lights went down again, smoke rose from their pit holes and they croaked the first line of Swear It Again into the mic. Slowly but surely they were lifted up to the stage to show their faces to the upstanding audience. Hayley and Vogue held each others hand and screamed just as loud as the crowd and let a little tear of happiness roll down their cheeks. 

Before saying hello to their assembly they carried on singing their second track, Uptown Girl. They'd chosen not to re-record any tracks that Brian hadn't originally sung on and stuck to the tunes he'd performed on so You Raise Me Up wasn't on the bill. Once the end of their second song had played they all stood waving and smiling like Cheshire cats. They looked at each other and nodded knowing they'd done the right thing. 

“Hammersmith how are ya?” Nicky yelled. “Wow.”

“I'm not sure if they're happy to see us or not boys.” Kian joked which provoked another window shattering scream. “OK maybe they are.”

Shane stepped forward to get a good look at the sea of faces and wiped his mouth. “Wow guys do you have any idea how glad we are to be here tonight?”

Mark added, “It's been an uphill battle folks.”

Nicky pointed at Brian and pulled a confused face. “Who is this stranger in the band hey? Does anyone remember this guy!? Ha-ha aye it's only Brian McFadden. Alright, alright guys. Like Mark just said it has been an uphill battle to be here today but thankfully we are and can I just say something now... see, I want to apologise to each and every one of Westlife's fans because a few years ago I did a Brian right; I left the band.” he groaned as boos filled the theatre. “I know, I know sorry. The thing is, us 5 lads are very lucky to still be friends after everything that happened which I’m sure you'll agree. But if it wasn't for one person tonight would never have happened for us, be it here with the amazing Big Reunion team or off our own back so personally and also on behalf of the band, we want to thank the most amazing person in my life. The woman that picked me up when I was down and has been my pillar of strength ever since. She holds me up like no one else and without her I would never have been a part of Westlife again. Give it up for my beautiful partner Hayley.” Hayley grinned up at Nicky while a camera focused on her and Vogue, proud of their men on stage. “I love this woman with all my heart and you have her to thank for this so this next song we want to dedicate to her. This is Queen Of My Heart.”

Shane held up his hand to his forehead to squint out to the tiers of the room after their song. “How are you guys up there, are you alright?”

“It's great to be here London.” Brian added. 

Shane rested his elbow on Nicky’s shoulder and spoke to him. “You know Nico, I don't think you've quite shown your full appreciation for what our former dancer has done for us. London in case you weren't aware, Nicky’s girlfriend Hayley used to be a dancer for Westlife and we first met her on our first arena tour. I saw her first ha-ha.”

“That's true he did. Myself and Shane share everything don't we buddy.” he chuckled. “But I think you're right Shane. So I think I need to stress just how important she is right?”

“Absolutely man.”

Hayley stared up at Nicky wondering what stunt he was about to pull as he walked to the edge of the stage. Vogue nudged her and whispered in her ear, “This looks serious.”

“And embarrassing.” Hayley replied. 

Nicky put his hand in his trouser pocket and began fumbling in it as he talked. “Hayley, I’ve said it once tonight already but I just want to know you are my world. I owe so much to you and I can never thank you enough for making me see sense. I’d be lost without so I just wondering... how would feel about becoming the next Westlife wife by doing the honours of marrying me?” he produced the ring in his hands and held it out in her direction. Gasps filled the auditorium while they waited for her answer. 

“I thought you'd never ask.” Hayley nodded and ran over to the edge of the stage where Nicky jumped down to kiss her and place the ring on her finger. 

“She said yes!” Nicky screamed causing the place to explode with cheers and applause. “I love you Mrs Byrne to be.” The 4 lads on stage high fived each other and beckoned Nicky back on stage. “OK guys, I’m coming. Woo! How about that then Shane?”

“I think the jobs done lets sing another song...”

Westlife sang a couple more songs and as the end of Flying Without Wings drew near, Brian and Kian introduced the other groups back on stage for the final bow. The atmosphere was electric and Hayley couldn't wait to run backstage so before the pop stars shot off to their dressing rooms, she and Vogue made their get away to meet them on the other side. As the cameras rolled the credits and the curtain fell back down to bid farewell to the sensational night the groups hugged her and congratulated her on her engagement. Giddy and extremely happy to see her number one favourite band ever on stage again and having made a new friend in Vogue, Hayley ran and jumped on Nicky the second he appeared off stage. She wrapped her legs around his waist and gave a full on snog as the celebrities cheered them on. Her life was complete. Westlife had performed their perfect gig and with all the love and support they received the following days, offers of the big bucks rolled in encouraging Nicky to keep up the hysteria of their reunion to pay for the wedding he now had to fork out for.


End file.
